Backlash
by Xeneric
Summary: When Sakura is offered the chance to save her broken world, she grabs it. Now, with the chakra of the legendary sanin, Tsunade AND the leader of the Akatsuki, she sets out to mend a faux pas...as a twelve year old genin. (Sakura Centric and TimeTravel AU with slight MultiSaku)
1. Chapter 1

I smelt fire, felt it's waves lick at my skin. My body was limp, bouncing slightly in some stranger's arms. Now, one may be asking what is happening but, in all honesty, I haven't got a clue. My face was pressed against a warm cloth, which happened to smell like trees. Their strong arms carried me in bridal style, my face buried in a covered chest. It was safe to assume that it was a man holding me with such care.

His heart was beating rapidly, I felt him propel us into the air. While he was doing so, I attempted to convince him that I was asleep. Keeping my chakra at ease and maintaining a steady heartbeat. Unfortunately for me, this man was not easily fooled.

"Sakura-san, I am quite aware that you are awake."

His deep, monotonous voice was nearly a whisper. I decided to open my eyes, but I was met with black and red cloth. I stiffened, the thought of the Akatsuki sent shivers down my spine. I soon relaxed, as the memories came to me. There was yet another war started by Uchiha Madara. Pein, the leader of the Akatsuki, thought it would be wise to begin an alliance with Konoha and Tsunade agreed. Unfortunately, even with the extra help, Madara had already destroyed most of villages, leaving us for last.

_**'That** **explains** **the** **fire..'**_ A voice that sounded nearly identical to mine muttered. _'Inner?'_ I thought, dumbfounded. The last time she uttered anything was when Sasuke came back.

_**Sasuke...**_

* * *

The name brought a sad smile on my face. When he came back, I hesitated to speak to him. I had gotten over my crush on him quite some time ago, but to see him in the flesh, without killing intent, was too much to handle. He had done something that was absolutely out of character for him. He had initiated a group hug between us and Naruto.

Naruto, being lighthearted, accepted the hug with no problem but I...I ran. I somehow ended up at the Hyuuga complex and basically told Neji everything. Over the years, Neji and I had formed a tight-knit friendship. After a while, Sasuke and I ended up being friends again, despite the awkwardness of his comeback. I was genuinely happy, all of Team 7 were back, bonds were made and it was a happy period in my life...

Then Madara attacked.. Multiple Shinobi tried to hold him off while the Hokage tried to get Naruto to safety, but he had defeated them as if they were mere genin.

There was so much bloodshed, which was expected, but for one man to be so ruthless... Despite the attempts to keep Naruto hidden, Madara had found him. I had protected Naruto as much as I could, but the Uchiha had thrown me like a rag doll. Thankfully, a shadow clone of Naruto's was able to catch me, but not before asking  
where 'Sasuke-Teme' was.

It broke my heart to tell him that his dear friend was dead, and it also broke my heart to tell him that all of our other friends shared his fate too. That was the trigger for him. Naruto had called on the Kyuubi and was attempting to exact his revenge on Madara. But that was exactly what the insane Uchiha wanted, his anger...his hatred had made him stronger and he was able to kill Naruto..

...The words _**'Naruto'**_ and _**'Kill'**_ should never be in the same sentence..

Forlorn, I was nearly going to attempt to kill the bastard myself when the smoke got to me. Which explains why I woke up in the Akatsuki leader's arms.

Speaking of Pein, his voice had knocked me out of my thoughts. He had informed me that Tsunade was waiting for us, she had decided to try something that may help with our situation. I was confused, but I decided it was best not to question the pierced man about that specific detail. I instead noticed how close to him he was holding me.

"Pein-sama-" I began, getting his attention. He gave me a confused side glance as he jumped from tree to tree. "You do know that I can walk, right? There is no need to carry me for much longer." I told him, making sure not to offend him.

With a nearly non-existent smirk, he answered me with a sly "I want to carry you.", which shut me up. Inner, on the other hand, was as loud as can be. _**'Pfft,** **who** **knew the** **leader** **of** **such** **an** **intimidating** **gang** **was** **so** **smooth!?'**_ Her laughter was beginning to annoy me.

"You do know we're in the middle of a war, right?" I had asked, not intending to say it out loud.

Pein threw me an amused glance. "Hai, Sakura-san. I am quite aware of that fact." He answered with a raised eyebrow. My face was the colour of my hair. I tried to say something, but I kept stuttering over my words.

The ginger gave a small smile and patted me on my head. "I'm holding you because the process of which Tsunade is trying may take a lot of your chakra." He said bluntly. I nodded, choosing not to say anything else until we reached our destination.

* * *

As he climbed the Hokage monument, I was watching, with a melancholic interest, most of my village burn down to the ground. I didn't cry as I thought I would..I just stared at my former home.

When we finally came to the Hokage's office, a grim looking Tsunade was sitting there, waiting. When our eyes met, her face had lit up. "Sakura, you're safe!" She exclaimed, getting out of her tattered chair. She took me out of the pierced man's grasped and embraced me. Tsunade-sama has always been like a second mother to me, even after I surpassed her.

Pein coughed, getting both of our attention. They shared a look and the blonde haired woman sighed. She looked at me with a sadness in her eyes that made my heart clench.

"Sakura, as you know-" She began. She inhaled sharply before retaining a straight face. "There have been many casualties in this war." I nodded. Despite her calm demeanor, I could tell she was really torn up this. "I..I thought that since all of our allies are dead, we need a way to stop this. Once Madara reaches us, there will be no way to stop him." I nodded, though I was a bit confused. She went to her desk and after doing several hand signs, a scroll appears.

My eyes widened, this was a scroll that I've never seen before.

My posture became tense, my hands clenched, and my eyes narrowed. "Do you need me to deliver the scroll?" I asked, ready to take on the task. She gave a raspy chuckle. "Always eager to help...No, I have something else in mind." Sweat dripped down my brow, my stance probably showing how nervous I am. Sensing my uncertainty, Pein put his hand on my shoulder. "Keep calm, Sakura."

That's all he said, and somehow..I wasn't as tense anymore. Still, I didn't like how shady this was.

"Tsunade, what exactly are we doing with this scroll? You never answered me directly." Pein asked, and I had to agree with him. "I'm getting to that!" She nearly yelled.  
She looked at me and gave a shaky smile. "Sakura, would you do anything to stop this war?" She asked me, watching for my reaction. I nearly snorted, of course I would! When I nodded, she gave a smile. A smile that seemed a bit condescending.


	2. Chapter 2

Throughout the years, I had always regarded Tsunade with respect. Never once questioning her motives, nor have I ever doubt her plans. But this, this was something that only an insane person could come up with. I blinked at my former master, tilting my head in confusion.

'_Surely she must be joking, right_?', I mused to myself. _**'Eh, Saks**_-' Inner began. _**'I think that she finally lost her marbles**_.**'** I didn't respond.

All I could do was stare at the blonde, her smirk never wavering. "..Wha?" I answered, oh-so intelligently. Tsunade rolled her eyes, crossing her wounded arms over her large chest. "I said, 'do you believe in time travel?'. Wow, Sakura, are you losing your hearing already?" The hokage teased. I frowned, running a pale hand through my pink locks. I was starting to agree with the blunt voice in my head, maybe the woman was going crazy.

I shifted my gaze to Pein, hoping that he was just as confused as me. Unfortunately, his face was stoic as always. "Go figure.." I muttered under my breath.

"Listen Sakura, what I need you to do is go back in time." She explained to me, as if she was telling me to take stroll in the park. I looked at the sannin as if she had sprouted two heads. "Is that even possible?!" I questioned, wanting to yell at her. Usually, her plans had _some_ logic in them. "Can you elaborate, Tsunade-Sama?" I asked, my voice sounding as cynical as I felt. She gave a coy smile, grabbing the scroll and shoving it into my hands. I slowly unraveled it, taking in every single piece of information. "A time-travel justu?" I muttered, not believing my eyes.

"This is a forbidden scroll, where did you find this?" I asked, only to receive a grin. "Being hokage has it's perks. Now, this jutsu will send you back to a time after your birth, because you current mind will inhabit your past self." She explained. I felt a bit overwhelmed after processing all of this information, but then I noticed a few holes in her plan.

She never said anything about my chakra, will I still have all of it? I gave her a pointed look. "Something wrong?" She asked, seeing my confused glance. "My chakra.." She gave me a puzzled look. "What about it?" It took me a lot of self control to not face-palm.

"Will my younger body be able to maintain it?" The older woman shrugged, making me clench my fist. "We don't know, but it doesn't matter!" She exclaimed. I raised a pale pink eyebrow.

"Why not?" The answer that I got nearly made jaw drop.

"We shall transfer our chakra to you while you perform the jutsu." Pein said, his voice nearly inaudible. My eyes widened, as I turned at the sannin. 'Is this true?' I mouthed to her, the shock making it hard to talk. And with her nod of confirmation to add fuel to my mental fire, I fainted...

Okay, I didn't faint, but I still felt a bit numb. Not only will I go back in time, I'll have a gigantic amount of chakra! **_'Sakura, what if we already have enough chakra when we arrive_** _**in** **the** **past?** **Too** **much** **chakra** **could** **kill** **us.'**_ Inner pointed out. I shared Inner's concerns with both of the powerful beings.

"Well, that's what your seal is for, storing extra chakra." The woman tapped on my shoulder and when she removed her finger, lo and behold, there was a seal there. I looked up at the woman in shock, only to see wrinkles on her face. "Tsunade-Sama, you-you're ageing!" I shrieked.

She gave a grin. "Really? I must be getting old.." She joked.

She threw a glance at the man standing next to us. "Did you bring the pills?" She asked the ginger. With a nod, the self-proclaimed God tossed a chakra pill to Tsunade, who caught it in two fingers. She swallowed it whole, but her youth did not return.

Noticing my puzzled look, she sighed and began to speak. "Compared to my original chakra, this is basically only enough to restore a genin's." I nodded.

I was about to perform the jutsu when I felt a masculine, but gentle hand on my shoulder. I was about to question the pierced man when I felt his chakra insert into my seal. The man nearly collapsed when he was done, his ringed eyes tired. He could barely even get the pill out his pocket, but he succeeded in consuming it.

Now that I was ready, I laid the scroll down on Tsunade's desk, and bit my thumb. When I drew blood, I let my thumb glide over the paper. I then carefully read over the jutsu, to insure no mistakes.

The jutsu was quite simple. Just repeating two signs three times until the final sign. My hands and fingers were a blur, with a yell of 'Clockworkstyle: Backlash no jutsu!' it was complete. I felt some of my chakra drain, but paid it no mind. The fact that I was still in the present worried me more.

"Did the jutsu not work?!" I asked, enraged. It was the only thing that could save the world, and it failed? I was about to rant when I noticed Tsunade's calm face, and most importantly, her eyes. They were focused on my legs. Confused, I looked down, only to see my torso slowly disintegrating. I looked at my teacher with wide eyes, expecting a more panicked expression.

With a small wave, she only said one thing. "Good luck, Sakura."

With that, everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

**(General POV)**

* * *

Her hearing was acute as always. She noted how the birds sang, soft hums resounding from multiple otherwise silent animals.

_ I haven't heard a bird in such a long time.. _The kunoichi thought to herself. I_nner?_ She yelled, eyes the colour of mint searched her subconscious. The fact that her voice was quite higher did not surprise her, as she was expecting this. What she wasn't expecting were footsteps behind her. She turned around slowly, slightly petrified of the thought of an intruder in her own mind. A feminine chuckle brought a smile to the Haruno's face.

_** You think I'm an intruder? That hurts me so much, Saks.**_ In front of her was a replica of her future self. She was nearly transparent, but Sakura could see her clearly. Or at least her waist clearly. _Jeez, was I really this short as a kid? _Sakura muttered to her inner self, tilting her head in confusion, a habit that she had picked up from Naruto. The mere thought of her former friend was enough to force the now young medic-nin to exit her thoughts.

With a sigh, she opened her eyes. Her emerald eyes adjusting to the darkness rather quickly, Sakura looked around her room. Nostalgia had hit the former jounin like a bomb. With a bittersweet smirk on her pale face, her eyes locked onto an object she knew she had to destroy: a shrine for her oh-so special _'Sasuke-kun'_.

Hopping out of bed without glancing at her reflection, the young shinobi walked to her desk where the _disgraceful_ object sat. While doing so, she realized that she felt like a stranger in her own home. Brushing that thought away, she gently caressed the handmade statue. With a flick of her wrist, the statue was in pieces.

Satisfied with the fact that her _natural_ brute strength was there, she decided to just sit and listen to everything. The birds were still chirping happily and Sakura heard the faint yawning of her father. Her grin twitched, it had been so long since the pinkette had seen her father alive.

Getting bored of sitting idly, the Haruno finally made the choice to check her reflection. Standing in front of her mirror with closed eyes, she wondered how old she was. Clearly it had to be a time when she was 'in love' with the young Uchiha, but her mind had basically erased unnecessary memories over the years.

Opening her eyes lazily, green clashed with green. The first thing Sakura noticed was her hair: it was long again. Twiddling with a pink strand, she glared at the mirror, scanning for more differences. With a sigh, she saw a thick, black substance lining her eyes.

_ Hey, I kinda look like Gaara-Sama now!_ Was her first thought. _**Did you really wear this much makeup? ** _Disgust was clearly evident in her voice. Sakura's cheeks reddened, a playful scowl creeping onto her face. _  
_

_ Hush, the makeup was probably your idea, Inner!_ Hearing that, Inner Sakura scoffed, crossing her arms with a playful pout. **_You and your logic..._ **She mumbled. Laughing lightly, Sakura looked for a bathroom. After some confused searching and some self-shaming, Sakura deducted that her the bathroom was outside of her room. Sticking her head out the doorway, she used some chakra-enhanced hearing to find out where the plumbing was immediately connected to.

* * *

Silently shuffling down the hall, the girl ran into the bathroom, shutting the door quietly behind her. Standing over her faucet, she used her chakra to douse her face in water. After learning her face off fully, the pinkette felt as if her face was lighter.

Lost in her thoughts, Sakura did nothing when a dull noise started to echo in the small room. Only when her mother's concerned voice screamed did she realize that she was nearly in the bathroom for a hour.

Opening the door, Sakura let a sweet smile surface on her face.

* * *

Mebuki Haruno was a very well trained kunoichi. She still had troubles, though. Being a former yanki was nothing compared to having an almost-teenage daughter. The blonde was about to awaken Sakura when she felt a strong chakra emitting from her bathroom.

She was scared, this chakra was stronger than she could even decipher! You couldn't imagine her surprise when she found out that her Sakura-Chan had all of this amazing chakra. Concerned, and slightly scared, the woman and timidly knock on the wooden door.

After what she felt were hours of knocking and screaming, the door had finally opened, revealing her pink haired child. With a stern glare, she began scolding Sakura about ignoring her, but stopping as she noticed the difference in her daughter's face.

Taking the pinkette's chin, she closely inspected her face carefully. "You're not wearing makeup," She said, looking at the girl with a quizzical expression. "Are you okay, Kura?" She asked, mock concern evident in her voice.

With a roll of her emerald eyes, the little girl assured her mother that she was fine. "I'm just tired of makeup now, mom." She explained dryly. Mebuki, after staring at her only child, smiled. "Well, alright then. You should hurry up and get ready, you get promoted to genin today, right?" She asked, getting ready to walk down the stairs.

With a nod, Sakura was gone in a puff of smoke. _Since when was she able to do that? _The woman thought, walking down the carpet-covered stairs. Had she stopped paying attention to Sakura?

* * *

After that awkward encounter, all Sakura wanted to do was think. _So, I'm going to graduate from the academy soon apparently...I'm maybe around twelve? _She pondered to Inner Sakura, gathering clothes and a towel. Usually, when taking a shower, Sakura used this time to think. Shuffling awkwardly into the bathroom, she began her shower.

Scrubbing absentmindedly, the pinkette started to think about what her "new" life would end up being like. She knew that she wasn't going to be obsessed with Sasuke, but how would she treat everyone else? _**Be as kind as you can to Naruto-kun! We both know what he's been through at this age, and he does not need a bratty crush kickin' his ass all the time, don't ha think?**_ Inner chimed in. Sakura nodded, in awe of her split-personality's speech.

With a grin, Inner started to yell. _**BACKLASH, OPERATION ONE: DON'T BE A JERK!**_

Sakura cringed, scolding Inner on swearing. While Sakura finished her shower, she noted that she had agreed with what the rude voice in her head had said. "Don't be rude like last time, Sakura. Try to be his friend.." Sakura had always thought that the whiskered blonde was really persistent, no matter what people had said, he always tried to help. Guilt was creeping in, giving her goosebumps and making her sad. (A/N guilt came in like a wrecking ball!)

With her undergarments on, the now twelve year old glanced at her outfit choice. Tired of the standard red dress, decided on something different. Getting her clothes on was much harder with longer hair, she had noticed.

Now adorned in a black fishnet shirt, in which a teal green tube top covered her...unmentionables, the pinkette played with the lining of her black biker shorts. Fiddling with a pair of black gloves, she realized that she needed to cut her hair.

"It's a distraction," she reasoned with herself, twirling a pink strand. "Maybe I'll cut it before the bell test..." Standing idly in front of the mirror, she nearly groaned seeing her large forehead. _** Ino's probably gonna make a commotion 'bout it. How about you change your bangs a bit? **_Inner suggested, and Sakura thought it was a good idea.

A pale hand placed itself on the sink, dragging itself on the smooth metal. Finding a comb, the girl combed her pink fringe until it was all in her face. She chuckled at how strange she looked before sweeping her bangs to the side. Quickly braiding the rest of her hair, she started running out of the bathroom.

Bare feet were like a blur. Sakura would've been out the door if strong arms hadn't picked her up. "Whoa there kid, going out barefoot?" Sakura's father joked, spinning her around. A giant smile made its way onto her face, mint green eyes tearing up at the sight of her father smiling. "Let me dowww-" Sakura screeched, screaming loudly when he threw her up and catching her at the last minute.

After finally setting the pink-haired child down, he took notice of her appearance. "Saku!" He yelled dramatically, his hand flying over his mouth. "Are you going through another phase?" The pink-haired man teased, trying to get a rise out of her. Sakura sent a confused glance his way, smirking on the inside. It had been so long since her beloved father had been alive.

Smiling, she hugged her father one last time while slipping her sandals on, and with that she was gone with a poof.

* * *

It seemed as if all eyes were on her when she suddenly arrived in the middle of the class. "Well, if it isn't Forehead-girl," A young blonde scoffed. Sakura just nodded, and smiled politely. "Ino-san..." She trailed off, looking at the girl with a kind look.

While she looked calm, on the inside Inner was having a ball. **_Pfft, do you see her face?! She looks so dumb! Ha, she's all confused and stuff! _**Sakura stifled a chuckle, walking past her old rival. _It's a new life, Sakura. Don't let petty boys ruin_ _your friendships. _

Walking to her seat, she saw many former friends. She smiled slightly at Hinata, finding it endearing when she blushed and meekly waved back. Finally at her chair, she was greeted by a familiar blonde.

"SAKURA-CHANNN! YOU LOOK SO COOL, YOUR HAIR LOOKS AWESOME!" The hyperactive ninja-to-be exclaimed, making everybody's eyes settle on the pinkette once again. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Sasuke giving her a sideward glance.

Her face reddened, it was way too much attention for her. She gave a sweet smile to her friend. "Hello, Naruto-san." She said, giving him her full attention.

Joyful cerulean eyes met with mint green. The whiskered boy tilted his head, confused. "Eh, Sakura-chan. You're not hitting me for being too loud?" The boy asked, his blonde locks hitting his forehead.

Sakura shook her head, not really paying attention to his question. She was distracted by Inner, who was saying inappropriate things. _**Saksss, holy crap!**_** Naruto**_** was freaking adorable! Why didn't you like him? **_

A light blush coated her face, obviously embarrassed. Naruto, being...well, Naruto, took notice of it. Getting in her face, he asked why her face was red.

Loudly. In front of the whole class.

Sakura felt as if she was going to pull a Hinata and faint!

Sinking into her seat, she started playing with her braided hair. She easily got lost in her thoughts, going over what she knew. _Okay, so I'm twelve. _She started lamely._ Also, my strength is still here, and my chakra is through the roof! This is great, right Inner?! **Sakura, the fangirls are coming, try not to catch any STDs! **_Sakura's face lit up at Inner's statement.

Heels clicked on the floor, alerting everyone of the girls arrival. Sakura had always thought that any ninja would know not to wear shoes like that.

"SASUKE-KUN!" Sakura flinched, that girl's voice actually sounded as if she were dying. "Hey, Billboard-Brow, you and the Demon need to get away from MY Sasuke-kun!" She shrieked, trying to intimidate Sakura.

Said pinkette ignored the girl, focusing on her foxy friend. "Ignore her, Naruto." Was all she said before facing the obnoxious girl. "Listen," Sakura started, clenching her fist.

"I'm not interested in 'your' goddamn _Sasuke_. What I am interested in though, is how you speak to my friend."

Silence filled the room, all eyes on both girls. Sakura sat calmly, looking at the fangirl with a bored smile on her face. The blue haired girl growled, losing her temper. "You bitch!" She screamed, attempting to strike the pinkette. Sakura only rolled her eyes, catching the girls punch and throwing her backwards.

"So, anyone else want to disrespect my friend?" She asked innocently, locking her fingers together and using her hands as a pillow. "I'd love to..heh, talk with you!" When no one stood up to her, she went to chat with Naruto.

"You okay?" She asked the confused jinchūriki. His electric blue eyes met with hers, and she had to admit his shocked face was adorable. _**Told** **ya!** _Inner grinned.

"Sakura-chan.." He started, stuttering a little bit. "That was...that was AWESOME!" He exclaimed, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. His nose kept hitting her forehead, but all she could do was giggle at his excitement.

She heard a scoff, and looked to the source. "You're being just as bad as the fangirls, dobe." Sasuke said, a small scowl present. _**Oh look, Sasuke Uchiha, the wonder-years.** _Sakura snorted, gaining the attention of both boys.

"Sakura-chan, he's comparing me to his stupid stalkers! I'm nothing like them, right?" He whined, glaring daggers at the massacre survivor. The rosette sighed and ruffled the blonde's soft hair. "You are like no one else, Naruto. No one compares to you." She said, with a lopsided grin.

She felt Sasuke's confused look, but chose to ignore it. She needed to focus on Naruto.

* * *

**(Sakura's POV)**

When Iruka came, nothing changed from the last time, I noted. The teams were the same, my academic skills were matched only by Sasuke and Shikamaru. Basically, I didn't change any of the basics.

Now, I was stuck in a classroom, waiting for Kakashi. I sighed, looking at the two boys. Naruto was whining and Sasuke was pouting in the corner. Sighing again, I folded my hands behind my head.

_**Are you bored?**_ Inner asked sarcastically. Nodding, I ignored the confused looks of my teammates. _**Well, you could try to bond. I mean, you don't have to play your life straight, you could attempt to befriend Sasuke, if you want...I don't know, I'm not a therapist.**_

I chuckled at her attempts to make sense of her own words.

I saw the boys look at each other, both with baffled expressions on their faces. It was actually quite strange, seeing them as children again. It's been forever since I've seen both of their innocent faces.

I sighed, getting ready to say something but was interrupted by the ramen-loving blonde.

"Sakura-chan, are you tired?" He asked. I shook my head, confused. "You've been sighing a lot.." Sasuke muttered. I looked at him. "I've..just been thinking." He nodded and went back to sulking in the corner.

Stretching, I stood up. Reluctantly, I dug in my short's pockets; I probably looked weird. I narrowed my eyes, why was it so hard to get a pencil? I started getting frantic, fiddling around in my shorts.

I was about to give up looking when I heard an awkward cough. I looked over to Sasuke, whose face was slightly red, though that might've just been the lighting. He gestured to my shorts. Naruto apparently caught on to what he was saying, because he started stuttering like a certain shy Hyuuga.

"Eh, S-Sakura-chan. You do know that those aren't your p-pockets, right?" He mumbled, his raspy voice a bit unsteady.

I looked down, realizing that he was right. My face was probably the color of my hair. I slowly slid my hands out of my shorts, quickly taking out a blue mechanical pencil from my_ real _pockets. To dispel the awkwardness, I asked the first thing that came to mind.

"Do either of you have any paper?" It was a simple question. It required a simple answer, but for some reason the room was now filled with around 8 Naruto's, looking for some spare paper.

With a sweatdrop, I was about to look on a shelf, when I heard a rustle behind me. Turning around, cold onyx eyes met with mine. I looked down to see Sasuke handing me a paper.

I tilted my head, taking the blank paper in my hands. Seeing the impassive boy look slightly embarrassed made me smile.

"Thank you, Sasuke." That was our only interaction for around thirty minutes. Lazily sketching over the paper, I drew the outline of hair. Sticking my tongue out, I got really focused on my drawing. The only time I had really gotten into a drawing was when Sai attempted to teach me how to shade.

By the time Kakashi got here, the drawing was starting to look like a mix of Sasuke and Naruto. I hid a smile, watching the eraser falling on our Sensei's gravity defying hair.

He sighed, leaning gingerly against the door. "Well, my first impression of you guys is..." He paused, trying to make it dramatic. "..I don't like you guys." When he said that, everybody's favorite hyperactive ninja started screaming his head off. "WHAT!?" He growled, looking as intimidating as a baby lion. "It's not our fault that you can't dodge a stupid eraser." He pouted.

Kakashi gave an eye crinkle-smile. "Meet me on the roof, we'll talk more there." And with that he was gone. Both boys started trudging up the stairs, Naruto looking at me expectantly. I just waved him off, teleporting to the top.

* * *

I nearly grinned when I saw Kakashi's only visible eye widened. "Surprised?" I asked, some arrogance evident in my voice. The copy-nin just shrugged. It took about five minutes for the boys to get up. I ignored their questioning looks, waiting for them to sit down.

"I'm your sensei, Kakashi. You already know that; introduce yourselves."

_Vague as always, Kashi-sensei. _I thought with a small smile. While Naruto introduced himself, I started to think about myself. _What are my dreams?...My likes?... We'll see. _I decided to push my worries aside, listening to my blonde friend's inspiring speech.

"Another dream of mine is to finally be respected by my fellow villagers, and the only way to do that is to become Hokage! AND THAT'S JUST WHAT I'LL DO, BELIEVE IT!" A sad smile formed on my face. Last time, I wasn't able to help him with his goal, but this time I will stand with him all the way!

With a newfound confidence I paid extra attention to our Sensei, my determined eyes meeting his lazy one. "And you?' He asked. With a smile, I introduced myself.

"My name is Sakura Haruno, I like training, and learning about medical jutsu." My eyes then narrowed, anger evident in my green eyes. "But what I hate...I hate those who believe as if no one else matters, and those who abandon their comrades." My body started shaking, my chakra spiking.

With a complete 180, I gave a sweet smile. "My dreams are to be an amazing medical ninja, to surpass Tsunade-san, and to help all of my friends reach their goals!" I looked at my teammates, inwardly smirking at their surprised expressions.

Finally, Kakashi put his attention on Sasuke. "You?" Said avenger sighed, locking his fingers in front of him he began to talk. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha...I don't particularly like anything, but I do dislike a lot of things."

Naruto shivered and I rolled my eyes. "What I have is not a dream, but an ambition. I will restore my clan, and kill a certain...someone." I scoffed, waiting for Kakashi to talk about the bell test.

When he finally brought it up, I tried to rush home. "Are we done here?" I asked, tapping my foot impatiently. Everyone looked at me, which was creeping me out. "What?" I asked, and then everybody started doing something different.

Shaking my head, I looked at my sensei. "So..?" I trailed off, waiting for his answer. When he nodded, I was about to 'poof' away when Naruto yelled my name. Nodding my head at him, I looked into his eyes.

**Gee, he was so cute as a kid!** Inner squealed. I ignored her, asking him what he wanted. "Do you wanna come eat ramen with me and the Bastard?" He asked. I glanced at the stoic Uchiha, silently asking him if he agreed to eat with Naruto. When he shrugged, I sighed.

I was probably going to regret it later, but damn, I want to spend time with my boys! I gave them a wide smile, nodding many times. I walked next to Naruto, grabbing his hand. Seeing his pink face, I giggled. "C'mon guys, I'm hungry!" I yelled, running ahead of them. I didn't have to turn around to know that they were sending each other confused looks, I could feel it.

I may seem weird, but I'm so glad that I'm not in the middle of war anymore...I lost everyone, and now I can prevent everything from happening! Happiness getting to me, I declared a race.

"Last one there has to pay for everyone." That sure got them going. Fortunately, for me at least, they were no match for my speed. In the end, it was Naruto who ended up losing.

_...I'm so glad to be with my boys again. _

_Even if I have to rebuild my bonds._

_Even if they don't like me... _

_I'm grateful to be back.._


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Hey guys! It's me, Xen. This'll be a short thing, but I'm just sooo grateful for all of the reviews and follows/favorites! I can't thank you all, but I gotta ask a question. Should I go deep into the story, instead of just going by the plot and actually focusing on the arcs, or should I write by the book. Also, I'm gonna hold a short contest; anyone can come up with a prompt for either a chapter, or even a different story! Who ever wins, I'll dedicate the chapter or story to you! _

_On with the chapter..._

* * *

Sitting at the ramen shop, I noted that Sasuke was quite curious. It was quite adorable, really. Well, they were both overly adorable, as Inner has repeatedly told me.

"Eh, Sakura-Chan!" Naruto yelled my name, poking my fishnet-covered shoulder. His nose pressed up against my arm. "What's this purple thing on your shoulder?" The blonde asked, using strange hand gestures to show his confusion. In a flash, both of my teammates were staring at me intensely.

"...It's a..um, birthmark!"

Both boys stared at me, deadpan looks upon their faces. "Really, that's the best excuse you could come with?" Naruto asked, while Sasuke just glared at me. Sighing, I shrugged.

"I actually don't know what it is, I'm trying to do some research on it." I lied, making sure that I acted more naturally.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at me, so I threw him an innocent glance. When he turned away, I assumed he gave up on that subject. Turning to our blonde teammate, I nudged him. "Are you done with your ramen, Naruto-san?"

He looked at me, broth dripping down his chin. His blue eyes darted from his beloved ramen, then to me. He repeated this until he sighed and picked up his bowl. "Just a second, Sakura-Chan," With that, the jinchūriki inhaled his ramen.

A small grunt of disdain from Sasuke made me avert my attention to the avenger. "That's disgusting, dobe" His tone not as monotonous as before. Once he was done, the blonde started digging in his pocket.

Placing the money on the booth, he ran to the door. "See ya later, old man! Thanks for the ramen!" The owner just smiled and waved.

Walking out the door, I was surprised to see that my teammates were staring at me. Did I have anything on my face? "What?" I asked, fed up with their stares. "What now?" The knucklehead-ninja asked, tilting his head.

I shrugged, starting to turn away. "Unless you guys want to do something, I'm going home."

In truth, I would love to stay with them, but I really needed to see my parents again. "Hn." I heard Sasuke grunt, looking at me before speaking. "I don't really care." He stated bluntly. With that, Naruto started yelling at him.

"YOU IDIOT, DON'T SAY THAT TO SAKURA-CHAN!" He scolded, blowing up in the boy's face.

I smiled, looking at my boys. "Do you want to do something Naruto-San?" I asked, trying to break up the fight that was soon to begin. He was about to say something, when a strange look appeared on his tan face. "Eh, Sakura-Chan..." He began, and I knew he was about to give me one of his "empowering" speeches.

"We're friends, Sakura-Chan! You can drop the 'san'. It makes me feel like we're strangers!" He beamed at me. I was silent for a moment, staring at the blonde. I slowly started walking towards him; he flinched at every step I took.

Staring him in the eyes, a smile started to surface slowly onto my face. Wrapping my arms around the boy, I felt him tense under me. A small pout made it's way onto my face; usually if I had hugged Naruto, he would've been quick to tackle me in a back-breaking glomp. I pulled away, looking at his stunned face with amused bemusement.

With a fake pout, I poked his pink cheek. "Ne, what's wrong, Naruto?" I asked, hiding a cheeky smile. I was always aware of his crush on me, but I was more focused on Sasuke to care about his feelings. Thankfully, that's all going to change this time.

As if sensing my emotions, Inner gave a hearty laugh. "_**CHA! OPERATION BACKLASH: MISSION ONE IS GOING STRONG!**_" She bellowed, confidence quite evident in her tone. Cracking a grin, I looked at my non-moving comrade. "As nice as it's been hanging out with you, I have to go."

That seemed to knock him out of his trance, because he started to beam. "Bye, Sakura-Chan!" He yelled enthusiastically, waving his hand rapidly.

I looked at Sasuke, giving him a nod of acknowledgement before teleporting away.

* * *

Appearing in the middle of the living room, I was surprised to see my parents standing by the front door with worried looks on their faces. "Taidaima, guys. What are you doing?" I asked, a smug smile adorning my face as I noticed their shocked expressions.

My mother gave me a calculating look. "You know, Sakura.." She began, saying my name in a way which signaled that she was suspicious. "Syunkanidou-no-jutsu isn't taught in the academy, at least not for mere genin." She told me, a pale hand resting on her hip.

I didn't skip a beat, giving the blonde an innocent look. "Yeah, but Iruka-sensei had let me borrow some books, and I happened to find a few ninjutsu to practice." I answered with a nonchalant shrug. It was true, being the top of the class had it's perks.

With a nod, a her face relaxed. "How was your first experience with a team, honey?" She asked, and I nearly snorted at the irony behind her question. "It was...nice." I answered truthfully.

"My teammates are weird, but I like them."

* * *

Sitting on my bed, I went over everything in my head. From all of the little details, to all of the big changes. _Fortunately, the only thing that has changed is me. _With that thought, I felt a little strange. I mean, I'm basically not me anymore. The annoying child I once was shaped me into being who I am. With that almost gone, will the elements of my future development even exist?

A familiar dull pain started to surface in my head: I was getting a headache. With a roll of my eyes, I started to heal myself. The cool part is that I didn't even have to move!

Before the war had started, Lady Tsunade had started to teach me some..interesting jutsu, which varied from ninjustu to genjutsu. Like in this case, the Aidoru-no-jutsu was basically a jutsu that allows you to do any mild skill with out using your hands. Thankfully, healing a small headache was child's play.

Speaking of children, I'm quite surprised that such an untrained and frail body could store so much chakra. I understand that there are some children with high chakra reserves like Naruto, but I wasn't a prodigy as a child, and my chakra was quite low.

Deciding to spare myself the migraine, I made the choice to sleep on that thought and ponder about it later. I needed to sleep, because I finally had the chance to showcase my powers.

For tomorrow is the day of team seven's teamwork exercise: **The Bell Test!**

* * *

_A/N: Well, this was a short chapter. Sorry. As I said earlier, pm me ideas, and we'll see who will win! On another note, I'm graduating this week! And, I'm going to Pennsylvania to go to comic-con! I wanna meet Matt Smith xD_

_Until the next chapter, see ya!_


End file.
